La Cantina Preservative Free Sangiovese Col Fondo 2024: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Spritzy & playful

A vibrant pink pét nat made from King Valley Sangiovese, alive with bright red berries, fine bubbles and refreshing acidity. Yeast lees remain in the bottle in the traditional Col Fondo style, adding a gently savoury, bready layer to the juicy fruit. Serve it clear and bright or mix in the lees for a cloudier, more textural pour.

Highlights

• Vegan friendly and made with no added preservatives
• Crafted by the Corsini family at their King Valley estate
• Bright red berries, fine persistent bubbles and lively acidity
• Estate-grown Sangiovese from an east-facing King Valley vineyard
• Ancestral-method pét nat with yeast lees retained in the bottle
• 12.5% ABV

Tasting Notes

Wild strawberry and raspberry lead a bright, red-fruited aroma, followed by a gentle bread-dough and leesy note. The palate is light, energetic and refreshing, with fine persistent bubbles and brisk acidity carrying the fruit. Mixing the settled lees into the wine adds a cloudier appearance, extra texture and a more savoury finish.

Winemaking

This Sangiovese is made by the ancestral method, with the final stage of fermentation occurring in bottle to capture its natural sparkle. The yeast lees remain in the bottle—hence Col Fondo—contributing texture and savoury complexity. No preservatives are added, and the crown-sealed bottle can be served after settling upright for a clearer pour or gently turned before opening to incorporate the lees.

Vineyard & Vintage

The 2024 fruit comes from the Corsini family’s estate vineyard in Victoria’s King Valley. The gently undulating, east-facing site sits at approximately 220–260 metres on deep clay-loam soils. Warm summer days encourage ripe Sangiovese flavour, while cool evening air descending from the high country helps retain the bright acidity that gives this sparkling wine its refreshing shape.

Why We Love It

It is joyful without being simple: vivid berry fruit and lively bubbles make it instantly inviting, while the retained lees bring enough savoury detail to keep each glass interesting. The light body and fresh acidity are ideal for warm afternoons, shared plates and relaxed entertaining, and the choice between a clear or cloudy pour adds a playful Col Fondo ritual.

Food Pairing

The bright acidity and bubbles refresh fried foods and creamy cheese, while Sangiovese’s red fruit is a natural match for tomato, eggplant and earthy mushrooms.

Try matching this wine with →

• Eggplant parmigiana with tomato, basil and mozzarella — Find a Recipe
• Golden calamari fritti with lemon — Find a Recipe
• Mushroom and mascarpone pizza bianco — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Chill it for a sunny lunch, a picnic with proper glassware or a spontaneous plate of antipasti with friends. It has all the energy of celebratory bubbles, with the relaxed character of a bottle that does not take itself too seriously.

Cellaring

Enjoy young while the red fruit, bright acidity and fine fizz are at their most vivid. Store the bottle upright in a cool, dark place before serving. Once opened, reseal if possible, refrigerate immediately and enjoy within one to two days.

Producer

La Cantina is a family-owned estate vineyard and winery in Victoria’s King Valley, now run by the second and third generations of the Corsini family. Peter Corsini oversees the vineyard and winery, with Reuben Corsini continuing the family’s hands-on winemaking tradition. All fruit is estate-grown, with the wines made and bottled on the property. The east-facing vineyard sits on deep clay-loam soils, where warm days and cool katabatic evening air help retain natural acidity. La Cantina’s approach combines Italian family heritage with minimal-intervention winemaking, producing preservative-free and vegan-friendly wines designed for food and sharing.

Related Wines To Try →

Explore another Sangiovese-led pét nat and two preservative-free King Valley wines from the Corsini family.

• Tuscan Sangiovese pét nat with citrus and cherry energy — Minimum UN PO ‘Misto Mysto’ Pét Nat
• Textural King Valley white with stone fruit and gentle spice — La Cantina Preservative Free Fiano
• Fresh, citrus-led Chardonnay with restrained French oak — La Cantina Preservative Free Chardonnay

FAQ

What does La Cantina Preservative Free Sangiovese Col Fondo taste like?

It shows wild strawberry, raspberry and bright red-berry flavours with a gentle yeasty, bread-dough note. Fine bubbles and lively acidity create a light, refreshing finish with a subtle savoury edge.

Is this pét nat sweet, and how much body does it have?

It presents as a dry, light-bodied sparkling wine, although the generous berry fruit gives it plenty of flavour. Tannins are low and the acidity is medium-high, keeping the palate crisp and energetic.

What does Col Fondo mean?

Col Fondo refers to the yeast lees that remain in the bottle after fermentation. They can be left settled for a clearer, fruit-forward glass or mixed through the wine for a cloudier pour with more texture and savoury complexity.

How should I serve La Cantina Sangiovese Col Fondo?

Chill the bottle thoroughly and serve at approximately 6–8°C in a sparkling-wine or universal wine glass. Stand it upright in the refrigerator before opening if you prefer the lees to remain settled.

Does this wine need decanting?

No decanting is needed. Open the crown seal slowly while the bottle is well chilled, then pour gently for clarity or lightly turn the closed bottle before opening if you want the yeast lees distributed through the wine.

Does this pét nat contain added preservatives or sulphites?

La Cantina Preservative Free Sangiovese Col Fondo is made with no preservatives added and belongs in the No Added Preservative collection. Fermentation can naturally create small amounts of sulphites even when none are deliberately added.

Is La Cantina Sangiovese Col Fondo vegan friendly?

Yes, this wine is vegan friendly. It is a versatile sparkling choice for plant-based meals, shared antipasti and mixed-group entertaining.

What food pairs well with this sparkling Sangiovese?

Try it with eggplant parmigiana, mushroom pizza, fried calamari, antipasti or tomato-based pasta. The bubbles and acidity refresh fried or creamy dishes, while the red fruit complements tomato, herbs and roasted vegetables.

Can this 2024 Col Fondo be cellared?

It is best enjoyed young, while its berry fruit, acidity and fine sparkle remain vivid. Keep unopened bottles cool, dark and upright; after opening, refrigerate and enjoy within one to two days.

Who will love this wine most?

It suits drinkers who enjoy pét nat, dry sparkling rosé and chillable, juicy reds with minimal-intervention character. If you like Lambrusco-style freshness but want something lighter, drier and more delicate, this King Valley Sangiovese is a lively alternative.

(SKU: LC_COL_CV)